If someone has a price tag on a game, I don't really worry too much about it.
If someone offers to sell me a game and tells me they honestly don't know what it's worth (and don't have a way to check, if that's possible in 2016), I'm going to be honest with them.
This sums up my feelings on the topic pretty well.
If its an item that's easy to find online (which most games are), sellers should take the time to educate themselves on the current value and price it accordingly. If they opt out of doing that and take a guess on pricing it, then its fair game no matter how off the mark they are. Just my $0.02 and seems reasonable to me. I wouldn't call it unethical.
Now if they don't put a price on it, and ask me to give them an offer I would give a fair offer. But probably on the low side of Ebay sold auctions minus the shipping and fees. Any time you find something off Ebay, be it yard sales, swap meet, etc you should expect a better deal. The seller is off loading that item with an added convenience compared to selling online.
I think that's what this thread is really about.
If you encounter an unpriced CIB SE at a yard sale... would a person actually make a truly fair offer, or not?
(and how much of a discount from prevailing market prices would constitute a "fair offer" on the extreme items like SE...)
Encountering a CIB SE and the seller not knowing what they had first of all would be an amazing and unlikely situation. But I think I'd have to be honest with them and tell them what they have. So yeah I'd make exceptions for extremely valuable items. I don't think my good conscience would allow me to sleep at night had I bought it from them for a few bucks.
As for regular items, fair to me is simply like I said. Low side of Ebay sold auctions, minus shipping and fees for the seller. For example on a game that regularly sells for around $10 + shipping on Ebay I think $5-$7 at a yard sale would be fair. This of course could vary if I'm buying a lot of games and working a bundle deal.
Now if they don't put a price on it, and ask me to give them an offer I would give a fair offer. But probably on the low side of Ebay sold auctions minus the shipping and fees. Any time you find something off Ebay, be it yard sales, swap meet, etc you should expect a better deal. The seller is off loading that item with an added convenience compared to selling online.
I think that's what this thread is really about.
If you encounter an unpriced CIB SE at a yard sale... would a person actually make a truly fair offer, or not?
(and how much of a discount from prevailing market prices would constitute a "fair offer" on the extreme items like SE...)
Encountering a CIB SE and the seller not knowing what they had first of all would be an amazing and unlikely situation. But I think I'd have to be honest with them and tell them what they have. I don't think my good conscience would allow me to sleep at night had I bought it from them for a few bucks.
As for regular items, fair to me is simply like I said. Low side of Ebay sold auctions, minus shipping and fees for the seller. For example on a game that regularly sells for around $10 + shipping on Ebay I think $5-$7 at a yard sale would be fair. This of course could vary if I'm buying a lot of games and working a bundle deal.
Yeah, please don't misread my post as a backhanded comment about your integrity, because it's definitely not.
And I don't think the topic was really intended to discuss the "low end" of this ($10 games), unless it is simply to put it in the context of the apocryphal Winston Churchill quote about determing a lady's price and what kind of woman she is...
So anyway, my "fair value offer" question is specific to pondering the extremes, since reasonable offers on <$100 items are pretty straightforward and don't raise any eyebrows.
Pegboy's snarky response does bring to mind that at the upper limits, these things are pretty volatile, and it becomes a matter of who you're going to be dealing with as a buyer, specifically, in terms of where things end up.
What the fuck is the point of going to garage sales if you aren't looking for deals? You enjoy coming back empty handed and wasting your time I guess? Or you'd rather educate these people that don't even give a crap about the hobby or what they are selling instead of getting a good deal? I'm trying to understand the mindset of someone that searches for good deals and upon finding them decides not to take them.
What the fuck is the point of going to garage sales if you aren't looking for deals? You enjoy coming back empty handed and wasting your time I guess? Or you'd rather educate these people that don't even give a crap about the hobby or what they are selling instead of getting a good deal? I'm trying to understand the mindset of someone that searches for good deals and upon finding them decides not to take them.
Are you replying to me? I clearly stated I'd expect to get better deals than Ebay prices when at yard sales, but with the exception of a very valuable item like a SE I'd feel compelled to inform the seller of what they had (if they didn't realize). Sorry if I have a good conscience, I can't help it.
What the fuck is the point of going to garage sales if you aren't looking for deals? You enjoy coming back empty handed and wasting your time I guess? Or you'd rather educate these people that don't even give a crap about the hobby or what they are selling instead of getting a good deal? I'm trying to understand the mindset of someone that searches for good deals and upon finding them decides not to take them.
No need for the nastiness in your tone.
The topic isn't about whether finding good deals is OK.
It seemed to be about "lottery ticket" kind of deals, and where, if anywhere, a person might draw a line.
Numerous people have replied, for instance, that if the seller prices, it's on them, but if the seller asks, then it's on you to be honest in response to their question.
I don't think that's a particularly outlandish set of values to try and uphold.
When we're talking about extreme situations (like an unpriced SE at a garage sale), this starts to be akin to finding an envelope full of money versus simply finding a $10 bill on the ground.
"The mindset" about this discussion is one about people on the forum clearly not all sharing the same set of core values about what they consider ethical in this regard, which is why it makes for an interesting discussion.
What the fuck is the point of going to garage sales if you aren't looking for deals? You enjoy coming back empty handed and wasting your time I guess? Or you'd rather educate these people that don't even give a crap about the hobby or what they are selling instead of getting a good deal? I'm trying to understand the mindset of someone that searches for good deals and upon finding them decides not to take them.
Are you replying to me? I clearly stated I'd expect to get better deals than Ebay prices when at yard sales, but with the exception of a very valuable item like a SE I'd feel compelled to inform the seller of what they had. Sorry if I have a good conscience, I can't help it.
Yeah, but you have to look at where you are. Most yard/garage sales are literally one step away from donation or the trash can. So you aren't ripping anybody off by giving them 20 bucks for something they were going to put in the garbage anyway; they probably think you're an idiot for paying 20 bucks for stuff that you can download for free anyway.
Then at flea markets (or at least the ones I go to) there's people that are fine as long as they're making a profit. Last one I hit, there was a guy selling an Atari 5200 in the box, with a couple shoeboxes full of Atari 800 games for 75 bucks. When I was looking at it, he mentioned he was pretty sure the games didn't go to that system (he mentioned getting them like that at auction), and I verified they didn't, and offered $20 for just the games. For how quickly he accepted, I'm guessing he only had $5-10 invested in the whole thing.
What the fuck is the point of going to garage sales if you aren't looking for deals? You enjoy coming back empty handed and wasting your time I guess? Or you'd rather educate these people that don't even give a crap about the hobby or what they are selling instead of getting a good deal? I'm trying to understand the mindset of someone that searches for good deals and upon finding them decides not to take them.
No need for the nastiness in your tone.
The topic isn't about whether finding good deals is OK.
It seemed to be about "lottery ticket" kind of deals, and where, if anywhere, a person might draw a line.
Numerous people have replied, for instance, that if the seller prices, it's on them, but if the seller asks, then it's on you to be honest in response to their question.
I don't think that's a particularly outlandish set of values to try and uphold.
When we're talking about extreme situations (like an unpriced SE at a garage sale), this starts to be akin to finding an envelope full of money versus simply finding a $10 bill on the ground.
"The mindset" about this discussion is one about people on the forum clearly not all sharing the same set of core values about what they consider ethical in this regard, which is why it makes for an interesting discussion.
nailed it arch. There's definitely a difference between finding a Kickmaster and finding a SE. Certain people will act differently. A lot of people posting here saying if there's a good deal take it, and I completely agree, but if they asked my opinion of the value of something, and I know damn well what it's worth, I can't see myself lying about it.
Yeah, but you have to look at where you are. Most yard/garage sales are literally one step away from donation or the trash can. So you aren't ripping anybody off by giving them 20 bucks for something they were going to put in the garbage anyway; they probably think you're an idiot for paying 20 bucks for stuff that you can download for free anyway.
I understand not everyone would feel the same as me but I still see it differently. While they would think I was an idiot for paying $20, on the other hand I'd KNOW they were an idiot for selling it for that much. I just don't like taking advantage of people in that way.
I should also clarify, this is only for extremely valuable items like a SE. That of which I most likely would never come across anyways. When speaking of other lesser values but still decent, like say an Earthbound or something its another story. If the yard sale seller expects it to be basically worthless and I throw out an actual fair offer they are instantly going to know something's up and I might lose the sale if they decide to hold off and go check online. Its a tough thing, and luckily I haven't had to deal with those situations that much.
Yeah, but you have to look at where you are. Most yard/garage sales are literally one step away from donation or the trash can. So you aren't ripping anybody off by giving them 20 bucks for something they were going to put in the garbage anyway; they probably think you're an idiot for paying 20 bucks for stuff that you can download for free anyway.
I understand not everyone would feel the same as me but I still see it differently. While they would think I was an idiot for paying $20, on the other hand I'd KNOW they were an idiot for selling it for that much. I just don't like taking advantage of people in that way.
That's the thing though- you're not taking advantage of the person in that situation.
Now if they had stuff priced, and you send your doe-eyed child to go buy stuff and they give him a massive discount, that's taking advantage.
Yeah, but you have to look at where you are. Most yard/garage sales are literally one step away from donation or the trash can. So you aren't ripping anybody off by giving them 20 bucks for something they were going to put in the garbage anyway; they probably think you're an idiot for paying 20 bucks for stuff that you can download for free anyway.
I understand not everyone would feel the same as me but I still see it differently. While they would think I was an idiot for paying $20, on the other hand I'd KNOW they were an idiot for selling it for that much. I just don't like taking advantage of people in that way.
That's the thing though- you're not taking advantage of the person in that situation.
Now if they had stuff priced, and you send your doe-eyed child to go buy stuff and they give him a massive discount, that's taking advantage.
If somebody asks for your input in the pricing, and you abuse that trust to get a hypothetical $1,000+ item for $10, one could argue that you're taking advantage of the person.
That's not exactly the same thing as what you mentioned in the $20 example, but it is more-or-less the example that is being discussed from numerous other people who weighed in further up.
What is the seller looks like a heroin addict? Do you pay their 10 ask price or tell them CIB SE is worth 25000? Just buy the game and don't worry about the what ifs.
Yeah, but you have to look at where you are. Most yard/garage sales are literally one step away from donation or the trash can. So you aren't ripping anybody off by giving them 20 bucks for something they were going to put in the garbage anyway; they probably think you're an idiot for paying 20 bucks for stuff that you can download for free anyway.
I understand not everyone would feel the same as me but I still see it differently. While they would think I was an idiot for paying $20, on the other hand I'd KNOW they were an idiot for selling it for that much. I just don't like taking advantage of people in that way.
That's the thing though- you're not taking advantage of the person in that situation.
Now if they had stuff priced, and you send your doe-eyed child to go buy stuff and they give him a massive discount, that's taking advantage.
I guess its a matter of opinion. I feel like on a real valuable game I'd be taking advantage.
What is the seller looks like a heroin addict? Do you pay their 10 ask price or tell them CIB SE is worth 25000? Just buy the game and don't worry about the what ifs.
what if the seller is an old lady who looks like she's never touched a computer? What if the seller is in their early twenties and knows how to look it up? What if the seller is wearing an expensive suit and drives a Ferrari? Is it ok to take advantage of one but not the other?
Why in the world would you ever tell them the value in the first place? You feel like ruining deals because the SELLER of an item is asking what they should sell it at? It's one thing if it's a friend or family member or something, but some random guy at a fucking garage sale or flea market, really?
If they ask you the value of the item just tell them what you can pay for it. I feel like I'm talking to robots on here sometimes.
A - "I don't know what to price this at, how much is it worth?"
Yeah, but you have to look at where you are. Most yard/garage sales are literally one step away from donation or the trash can. So you aren't ripping anybody off by giving them 20 bucks for something they were going to put in the garbage anyway; they probably think you're an idiot for paying 20 bucks for stuff that you can download for free anyway.
I understand not everyone would feel the same as me but I still see it differently. While they would think I was an idiot for paying $20, on the other hand I'd KNOW they were an idiot for selling it for that much. I just don't like taking advantage of people in that way.
That's the thing though- you're not taking advantage of the person in that situation.
Now if they had stuff priced, and you send your doe-eyed child to go buy stuff and they give him a massive discount, that's taking advantage.
If somebody asks for your input in the pricing, and you abuse that trust to get a hypothetical $1,000+ item for $10, one could argue that you're taking advantage of the person.
That's not exactly the same thing as what you mentioned in the $20 example, but it is more-or-less the example that is being discussed from numerous other people who weighed in further up.
Well of course you're going to argue, it's a day that ends in "y"!
And I haven't really read much up to the last page, but I can wager guesses on how the last three or so pages have gone by some of the replies I'm seeing now.
And I haven't really read much up to the last page, but I can wager guesses on how the last three or so pages have gone by some of the replies I'm seeing now.
I think it reads like a delicate balance of people on one side of the issue trying to frame their opinion on the ethics without sounding like their moralizing at the people who don't share that opinion.
Some people who disagree with a "stricter" view of the ethics are taking it in stride.
Some are vehemently disagreeing in ways that border on nasty.
It's an interesting mix of replies in the overall topic, IMO.
What the fuck is the point of going to garage sales if you aren't looking for deals? You enjoy coming back empty handed and wasting your time I guess? Or you'd rather educate these people that don't even give a crap about the hobby or what they are selling instead of getting a good deal? I'm trying to understand the mindset of someone that searches for good deals and upon finding them decides not to take them.
If I go to a yard sale and say, "hey how much for the games" I'm not educating them, and I am looking for a deal. If they give me a price that I like, I'm then buying them. If I'm helping at my buddies flea market booth and someone comes in to trade some old games and I ask "what do you want for them?" if they in turn tell me they don't know what they're worth, I'll give them an idea and let them know what they're worth in trade to the booth.
There's a huge difference in hunting for a deal and what you're implying.
Why the fuck are you so hostile about it? (see what I did there)
Garage sale guy pulled out a stack of 15 games (worth $700 according to pricecharting) and asked you to make the offer because he isn't sure what they are worth, not the other way around. What do you say?
Garage sale guy pulled out a stack of 15 games (worth $700 according to pricecharting) and asked you to make the offer because he isn't sure what they are worth, not the other way around. What do you say?
"Normally, I pay $.25 a piece for AES games, but I like your face. I'll give you $.50 each."
What the fuck is the point of going to garage sales if you aren't looking for deals? You enjoy coming back empty handed and wasting your time I guess? Or you'd rather educate these people that don't even give a crap about the hobby or what they are selling instead of getting a good deal? I'm trying to understand the mindset of someone that searches for good deals and upon finding them decides not to take them.
Are you replying to me? I clearly stated I'd expect to get better deals than Ebay prices when at yard sales, but with the exception of a very valuable item like a SE I'd feel compelled to inform the seller of what they had. Sorry if I have a good conscience, I can't help it.
Yeah, but you have to look at where you are. Most yard/garage sales are literally one step away from donation or the trash can. So you aren't ripping anybody off by giving them 20 bucks for something they were going to put in the garbage anyway; they probably think you're an idiot for paying 20 bucks for stuff that you can download for free anyway.
Then at flea markets (or at least the ones I go to) there's people that are fine as long as they're making a profit. Last one I hit, there was a guy selling an Atari 5200 in the box, with a couple shoeboxes full of Atari 800 games for 75 bucks. When I was looking at it, he mentioned he was pretty sure the games didn't go to that system (he mentioned getting them like that at auction), and I verified they didn't, and offered $20 for just the games. For how quickly he accepted, I'm guessing he only had $5-10 invested in the whole thing.
Too may people miss this fact that garage sale fodder is a step away from the wastebin or donation bin. So much more stuff would be in landfills instead of collections if it weren't for resellers scouting out flea markets and garage sales every weekend starting at 6 am.
We can call resellers scumbags; we can argue over the semantics of informing a seller if the item is worth 100x what their asking price, but at the end of the day, everyone is happy. The garage seller is happy it went to someone who appreciated it more than they did. The reseller is happy that the umpteenth stop on their weekly trek wasn't a bust and they were able to feed their kids and put gas in their tank. The collector is happy because they scored that missing piece for the shelf, regardless of how much they paid on eBay.
There's at least three people who are happier now because a game got rescued, as opposed to getting binned. And everyone who cares about the hobby in the least should be happy that the rare unicorn, occasional uncommon gem, or just a bunch of really really good commons found their way out of attics and onto the market instead of into the trash.
So I have no qualms if everyone is happy in the deal. Nobody is getting scammed or ripped off here.
Garage sale guy pulled out a stack of 15 games (worth $700 according to pricecharting) and asked you to make the offer because he isn't sure what they are worth, not the other way around. What do you say?
"Your sale, you tell me."
They're trying to sell it, they have a price in mind they want for it, or they wouldn't pull them out.
Too may people miss this fact that garage sale fodder is a step away from the wastebin or donation bin. So much more stuff would be in landfills instead of collections if it weren't for resellers scouting out flea markets and garage sales every weekend starting at 6 am.
We can call resellers scumbags; we can argue over the semantics of informing a seller if the item is worth 100x what their asking price, but at the end of the day, everyone is happy. The garage seller is happy it went to someone who appreciated it more than they did. The reseller is happy that the umpteenth stop on their weekly trek wasn't a bust and they were able to feed their kids and put gas in their tank. The collector is happy because they scored that missing piece for the shelf, regardless of how much they paid on eBay.
There's at least three people who are happier now because a game got rescued, as opposed to getting binned. And everyone who cares about the hobby in the least should be happy that the rare unicorn, occasional uncommon gem, or just a bunch of really really good commons found their way out of attics and onto the market instead of into the trash.
So I have no qualms if everyone is happy in the deal. Nobody is getting scammed or ripped off here.
I can get onboard with this sentiment. I guess ignorance is bliss and at the end of the day at least no one "feels" cheated out of anything. Its an acceptable conclusion to such a scenario, but I just might have second thoughts laying in bed that night thinking about the seller but maybe I'm too much of a nice guy fag though.
As to some others here who disagree, well maybe they are just a little sensitive about it and trying to justify they way they handle things. Its all good, I'm not judging anyone.
Garage sale guy pulled out a stack of 15 games (worth $700 according to pricecharting) and asked you to make the offer because he isn't sure what they are worth, not the other way around. What do you say?
"Your sale, you tell me."
They're trying to sell it, they have a price in mind they want for it, or they wouldn't pull them out.
Still wondering why so hostile?
A surprising number of times when they ask me, they actually weren't trying to sell it until I asked, so I feel owe them a reasonable answer when I genuinely do know more about it than they do and I'm getting first pick in exchange.
Typically at yard sales I ask if they have any old game stuff. They sometimes go inside and bring out stuff they didn't anticipate selling. I ask "how much?", they say something like "I don't know. What's it worth to you?" I'm the one who put them on the spot, so I owe them an honest answer (low side of what it's worth to me).
It happens at flea markets too, where a vendor sees me carrying or wearing classic game stuff and says to check back the next day cause they have more of that stuff at home. They obviously didn't expect people to want it or they would have brought it in the first place. Of course, they usually ask me what something is worth before they bother to go back home for it and if I don't answer honestly they might not be willing to go get it. I'll tell them what it's worth *to me* and if I already have it with no intention of buying it from him I'll say what I typically see it go for and what I think they could get for it.
My own personal experience... If I ever found something worth more than a few hundred. I would probably go back and give them some $$$ as a tip. This makes people including myself to feel better.
Comments
If someone has a price tag on a game, I don't really worry too much about it.
If someone offers to sell me a game and tells me they honestly don't know what it's worth (and don't have a way to check, if that's possible in 2016), I'm going to be honest with them.
This sums up my feelings on the topic pretty well.
If its an item that's easy to find online (which most games are), sellers should take the time to educate themselves on the current value and price it accordingly. If they opt out of doing that and take a guess on pricing it, then its fair game no matter how off the mark they are. Just my $0.02 and seems reasonable to me. I wouldn't call it unethical.
Now if they don't put a price on it, and ask me to give them an offer I would give a fair offer. But probably on the low side of Ebay sold auctions minus the shipping and fees. Any time you find something off Ebay, be it yard sales, swap meet, etc you should expect a better deal. The seller is off loading that item with an added convenience compared to selling online.
I think that's what this thread is really about.
If you encounter an unpriced CIB SE at a yard sale... would a person actually make a truly fair offer, or not?
(and how much of a discount from prevailing market prices would constitute a "fair offer" on the extreme items like SE...)
Encountering a CIB SE and the seller not knowing what they had first of all would be an amazing and unlikely situation. But I think I'd have to be honest with them and tell them what they have. So yeah I'd make exceptions for extremely valuable items. I don't think my good conscience would allow me to sleep at night had I bought it from them for a few bucks.
As for regular items, fair to me is simply like I said. Low side of Ebay sold auctions, minus shipping and fees for the seller. For example on a game that regularly sells for around $10 + shipping on Ebay I think $5-$7 at a yard sale would be fair. This of course could vary if I'm buying a lot of games and working a bundle deal.
Now if they don't put a price on it, and ask me to give them an offer I would give a fair offer. But probably on the low side of Ebay sold auctions minus the shipping and fees. Any time you find something off Ebay, be it yard sales, swap meet, etc you should expect a better deal. The seller is off loading that item with an added convenience compared to selling online.
I think that's what this thread is really about.
If you encounter an unpriced CIB SE at a yard sale... would a person actually make a truly fair offer, or not?
(and how much of a discount from prevailing market prices would constitute a "fair offer" on the extreme items like SE...)
Encountering a CIB SE and the seller not knowing what they had first of all would be an amazing and unlikely situation. But I think I'd have to be honest with them and tell them what they have. I don't think my good conscience would allow me to sleep at night had I bought it from them for a few bucks.
As for regular items, fair to me is simply like I said. Low side of Ebay sold auctions, minus shipping and fees for the seller. For example on a game that regularly sells for around $10 + shipping on Ebay I think $5-$7 at a yard sale would be fair. This of course could vary if I'm buying a lot of games and working a bundle deal.
Yeah, please don't misread my post as a backhanded comment about your integrity, because it's definitely not.
And I don't think the topic was really intended to discuss the "low end" of this ($10 games), unless it is simply to put it in the context of the apocryphal Winston Churchill quote about determing a lady's price and what kind of woman she is...
So anyway, my "fair value offer" question is specific to pondering the extremes, since reasonable offers on <$100 items are pretty straightforward and don't raise any eyebrows.
Pegboy's snarky response does bring to mind that at the upper limits, these things are pretty volatile, and it becomes a matter of who you're going to be dealing with as a buyer, specifically, in terms of where things end up.
Yeah, please don't misread my post as a backhanded comment about your integrity, because it's definitely not.
No worries at all man.
What the fuck is the point of going to garage sales if you aren't looking for deals? You enjoy coming back empty handed and wasting your time I guess? Or you'd rather educate these people that don't even give a crap about the hobby or what they are selling instead of getting a good deal? I'm trying to understand the mindset of someone that searches for good deals and upon finding them decides not to take them.
Are you replying to me? I clearly stated I'd expect to get better deals than Ebay prices when at yard sales, but with the exception of a very valuable item like a SE I'd feel compelled to inform the seller of what they had (if they didn't realize). Sorry if I have a good conscience, I can't help it.
What the fuck is the point of going to garage sales if you aren't looking for deals? You enjoy coming back empty handed and wasting your time I guess? Or you'd rather educate these people that don't even give a crap about the hobby or what they are selling instead of getting a good deal? I'm trying to understand the mindset of someone that searches for good deals and upon finding them decides not to take them.
No need for the nastiness in your tone.
The topic isn't about whether finding good deals is OK.
It seemed to be about "lottery ticket" kind of deals, and where, if anywhere, a person might draw a line.
Numerous people have replied, for instance, that if the seller prices, it's on them, but if the seller asks, then it's on you to be honest in response to their question.
I don't think that's a particularly outlandish set of values to try and uphold.
When we're talking about extreme situations (like an unpriced SE at a garage sale), this starts to be akin to finding an envelope full of money versus simply finding a $10 bill on the ground.
"The mindset" about this discussion is one about people on the forum clearly not all sharing the same set of core values about what they consider ethical in this regard, which is why it makes for an interesting discussion.
What the fuck is the point of going to garage sales if you aren't looking for deals? You enjoy coming back empty handed and wasting your time I guess? Or you'd rather educate these people that don't even give a crap about the hobby or what they are selling instead of getting a good deal? I'm trying to understand the mindset of someone that searches for good deals and upon finding them decides not to take them.
Are you replying to me? I clearly stated I'd expect to get better deals than Ebay prices when at yard sales, but with the exception of a very valuable item like a SE I'd feel compelled to inform the seller of what they had. Sorry if I have a good conscience, I can't help it.
Yeah, but you have to look at where you are. Most yard/garage sales are literally one step away from donation or the trash can. So you aren't ripping anybody off by giving them 20 bucks for something they were going to put in the garbage anyway; they probably think you're an idiot for paying 20 bucks for stuff that you can download for free anyway.
Then at flea markets (or at least the ones I go to) there's people that are fine as long as they're making a profit. Last one I hit, there was a guy selling an Atari 5200 in the box, with a couple shoeboxes full of Atari 800 games for 75 bucks. When I was looking at it, he mentioned he was pretty sure the games didn't go to that system (he mentioned getting them like that at auction), and I verified they didn't, and offered $20 for just the games. For how quickly he accepted, I'm guessing he only had $5-10 invested in the whole thing.
What the fuck is the point of going to garage sales if you aren't looking for deals? You enjoy coming back empty handed and wasting your time I guess? Or you'd rather educate these people that don't even give a crap about the hobby or what they are selling instead of getting a good deal? I'm trying to understand the mindset of someone that searches for good deals and upon finding them decides not to take them.
No need for the nastiness in your tone.
The topic isn't about whether finding good deals is OK.
It seemed to be about "lottery ticket" kind of deals, and where, if anywhere, a person might draw a line.
Numerous people have replied, for instance, that if the seller prices, it's on them, but if the seller asks, then it's on you to be honest in response to their question.
I don't think that's a particularly outlandish set of values to try and uphold.
When we're talking about extreme situations (like an unpriced SE at a garage sale), this starts to be akin to finding an envelope full of money versus simply finding a $10 bill on the ground.
"The mindset" about this discussion is one about people on the forum clearly not all sharing the same set of core values about what they consider ethical in this regard, which is why it makes for an interesting discussion.
nailed it arch. There's definitely a difference between finding a Kickmaster and finding a SE. Certain people will act differently. A lot of people posting here saying if there's a good deal take it, and I completely agree, but if they asked my opinion of the value of something, and I know damn well what it's worth, I can't see myself lying about it.
Yeah, but you have to look at where you are. Most yard/garage sales are literally one step away from donation or the trash can. So you aren't ripping anybody off by giving them 20 bucks for something they were going to put in the garbage anyway; they probably think you're an idiot for paying 20 bucks for stuff that you can download for free anyway.
I understand not everyone would feel the same as me but I still see it differently. While they would think I was an idiot for paying $20, on the other hand I'd KNOW they were an idiot for selling it for that much. I just don't like taking advantage of people in that way.
I should also clarify, this is only for extremely valuable items like a SE. That of which I most likely would never come across anyways. When speaking of other lesser values but still decent, like say an Earthbound or something its another story. If the yard sale seller expects it to be basically worthless and I throw out an actual fair offer they are instantly going to know something's up and I might lose the sale if they decide to hold off and go check online. Its a tough thing, and luckily I haven't had to deal with those situations that much.
Yeah, but you have to look at where you are. Most yard/garage sales are literally one step away from donation or the trash can. So you aren't ripping anybody off by giving them 20 bucks for something they were going to put in the garbage anyway; they probably think you're an idiot for paying 20 bucks for stuff that you can download for free anyway.
I understand not everyone would feel the same as me but I still see it differently. While they would think I was an idiot for paying $20, on the other hand I'd KNOW they were an idiot for selling it for that much. I just don't like taking advantage of people in that way.
That's the thing though- you're not taking advantage of the person in that situation.
Now if they had stuff priced, and you send your doe-eyed child to go buy stuff and they give him a massive discount, that's taking advantage.
Yeah, but you have to look at where you are. Most yard/garage sales are literally one step away from donation or the trash can. So you aren't ripping anybody off by giving them 20 bucks for something they were going to put in the garbage anyway; they probably think you're an idiot for paying 20 bucks for stuff that you can download for free anyway.
I understand not everyone would feel the same as me but I still see it differently. While they would think I was an idiot for paying $20, on the other hand I'd KNOW they were an idiot for selling it for that much. I just don't like taking advantage of people in that way.
That's the thing though- you're not taking advantage of the person in that situation.
Now if they had stuff priced, and you send your doe-eyed child to go buy stuff and they give him a massive discount, that's taking advantage.
If somebody asks for your input in the pricing, and you abuse that trust to get a hypothetical $1,000+ item for $10, one could argue that you're taking advantage of the person.
That's not exactly the same thing as what you mentioned in the $20 example, but it is more-or-less the example that is being discussed from numerous other people who weighed in further up.
Yeah, but you have to look at where you are. Most yard/garage sales are literally one step away from donation or the trash can. So you aren't ripping anybody off by giving them 20 bucks for something they were going to put in the garbage anyway; they probably think you're an idiot for paying 20 bucks for stuff that you can download for free anyway.
I understand not everyone would feel the same as me but I still see it differently. While they would think I was an idiot for paying $20, on the other hand I'd KNOW they were an idiot for selling it for that much. I just don't like taking advantage of people in that way.
That's the thing though- you're not taking advantage of the person in that situation.
Now if they had stuff priced, and you send your doe-eyed child to go buy stuff and they give him a massive discount, that's taking advantage.
I guess its a matter of opinion. I feel like on a real valuable game I'd be taking advantage.
What is the seller looks like a heroin addict? Do you pay their 10 ask price or tell them CIB SE is worth 25000? Just buy the game and don't worry about the what ifs.
what if the seller is an old lady who looks like she's never touched a computer? What if the seller is in their early twenties and knows how to look it up? What if the seller is wearing an expensive suit and drives a Ferrari? Is it ok to take advantage of one but not the other?
If they ask you the value of the item just tell them what you can pay for it. I feel like I'm talking to robots on here sometimes.
A - "I don't know what to price this at, how much is it worth?"
B - "Well I can offer you $20."
A - "Ok, that sounds good."
B - "Thanks, bye"
Yeah, but you have to look at where you are. Most yard/garage sales are literally one step away from donation or the trash can. So you aren't ripping anybody off by giving them 20 bucks for something they were going to put in the garbage anyway; they probably think you're an idiot for paying 20 bucks for stuff that you can download for free anyway.
I understand not everyone would feel the same as me but I still see it differently. While they would think I was an idiot for paying $20, on the other hand I'd KNOW they were an idiot for selling it for that much. I just don't like taking advantage of people in that way.
That's the thing though- you're not taking advantage of the person in that situation.
Now if they had stuff priced, and you send your doe-eyed child to go buy stuff and they give him a massive discount, that's taking advantage.
If somebody asks for your input in the pricing, and you abuse that trust to get a hypothetical $1,000+ item for $10, one could argue that you're taking advantage of the person.
That's not exactly the same thing as what you mentioned in the $20 example, but it is more-or-less the example that is being discussed from numerous other people who weighed in further up.
Well of course you're going to argue, it's a day that ends in "y"!
And I haven't really read much up to the last page, but I can wager guesses on how the last three or so pages have gone by some of the replies I'm seeing now.
And I haven't really read much up to the last page, but I can wager guesses on how the last three or so pages have gone by some of the replies I'm seeing now.
I think it reads like a delicate balance of people on one side of the issue trying to frame their opinion on the ethics without sounding like their moralizing at the people who don't share that opinion.
Some people who disagree with a "stricter" view of the ethics are taking it in stride.
Some are vehemently disagreeing in ways that border on nasty.
It's an interesting mix of replies in the overall topic, IMO.
Some are vehemently disagreeing in ways that border on nasty.
To be fair, that's the only way some of them know how to disagree.
What the fuck is the point of going to garage sales if you aren't looking for deals? You enjoy coming back empty handed and wasting your time I guess? Or you'd rather educate these people that don't even give a crap about the hobby or what they are selling instead of getting a good deal? I'm trying to understand the mindset of someone that searches for good deals and upon finding them decides not to take them.
If I go to a yard sale and say, "hey how much for the games" I'm not educating them, and I am looking for a deal. If they give me a price that I like, I'm then buying them. If I'm helping at my buddies flea market booth and someone comes in to trade some old games and I ask "what do you want for them?" if they in turn tell me they don't know what they're worth, I'll give them an idea and let them know what they're worth in trade to the booth.
There's a huge difference in hunting for a deal and what you're implying.
Why the fuck are you so hostile about it? (see what I did there)
Garage sale guy pulled out a stack of 15 games (worth $700 according to pricecharting) and asked you to make the offer because he isn't sure what they are worth, not the other way around. What do you say?
"Normally, I pay $.25 a piece for AES games, but I like your face. I'll give you $.50 each."
What the fuck is the point of going to garage sales if you aren't looking for deals? You enjoy coming back empty handed and wasting your time I guess? Or you'd rather educate these people that don't even give a crap about the hobby or what they are selling instead of getting a good deal? I'm trying to understand the mindset of someone that searches for good deals and upon finding them decides not to take them.
Are you replying to me? I clearly stated I'd expect to get better deals than Ebay prices when at yard sales, but with the exception of a very valuable item like a SE I'd feel compelled to inform the seller of what they had. Sorry if I have a good conscience, I can't help it.
Yeah, but you have to look at where you are. Most yard/garage sales are literally one step away from donation or the trash can. So you aren't ripping anybody off by giving them 20 bucks for something they were going to put in the garbage anyway; they probably think you're an idiot for paying 20 bucks for stuff that you can download for free anyway.
Then at flea markets (or at least the ones I go to) there's people that are fine as long as they're making a profit. Last one I hit, there was a guy selling an Atari 5200 in the box, with a couple shoeboxes full of Atari 800 games for 75 bucks. When I was looking at it, he mentioned he was pretty sure the games didn't go to that system (he mentioned getting them like that at auction), and I verified they didn't, and offered $20 for just the games. For how quickly he accepted, I'm guessing he only had $5-10 invested in the whole thing.
Too may people miss this fact that garage sale fodder is a step away from the wastebin or donation bin. So much more stuff would be in landfills instead of collections if it weren't for resellers scouting out flea markets and garage sales every weekend starting at 6 am.
We can call resellers scumbags; we can argue over the semantics of informing a seller if the item is worth 100x what their asking price, but at the end of the day, everyone is happy. The garage seller is happy it went to someone who appreciated it more than they did. The reseller is happy that the umpteenth stop on their weekly trek wasn't a bust and they were able to feed their kids and put gas in their tank. The collector is happy because they scored that missing piece for the shelf, regardless of how much they paid on eBay.
There's at least three people who are happier now because a game got rescued, as opposed to getting binned. And everyone who cares about the hobby in the least should be happy that the rare unicorn, occasional uncommon gem, or just a bunch of really really good commons found their way out of attics and onto the market instead of into the trash.
So I have no qualms if everyone is happy in the deal. Nobody is getting scammed or ripped off here.
Garage sale guy pulled out a stack of 15 games (worth $700 according to pricecharting) and asked you to make the offer because he isn't sure what they are worth, not the other way around. What do you say?
"Your sale, you tell me."
They're trying to sell it, they have a price in mind they want for it, or they wouldn't pull them out.
Still wondering why so hostile?
Too may people miss this fact that garage sale fodder is a step away from the wastebin or donation bin. So much more stuff would be in landfills instead of collections if it weren't for resellers scouting out flea markets and garage sales every weekend starting at 6 am.
We can call resellers scumbags; we can argue over the semantics of informing a seller if the item is worth 100x what their asking price, but at the end of the day, everyone is happy. The garage seller is happy it went to someone who appreciated it more than they did. The reseller is happy that the umpteenth stop on their weekly trek wasn't a bust and they were able to feed their kids and put gas in their tank. The collector is happy because they scored that missing piece for the shelf, regardless of how much they paid on eBay.
There's at least three people who are happier now because a game got rescued, as opposed to getting binned. And everyone who cares about the hobby in the least should be happy that the rare unicorn, occasional uncommon gem, or just a bunch of really really good commons found their way out of attics and onto the market instead of into the trash.
So I have no qualms if everyone is happy in the deal. Nobody is getting scammed or ripped off here.
I can get onboard with this sentiment. I guess ignorance is bliss and at the end of the day at least no one "feels" cheated out of anything. Its an acceptable conclusion to such a scenario, but I just might have second thoughts laying in bed that night thinking about the seller but maybe I'm too much of a nice guy fag though.
As to some others here who disagree, well maybe they are just a little sensitive about it and trying to justify they way they handle things. Its all good, I'm not judging anyone.
Garage sale guy pulled out a stack of 15 games (worth $700 according to pricecharting) and asked you to make the offer because he isn't sure what they are worth, not the other way around. What do you say?
"Your sale, you tell me."
They're trying to sell it, they have a price in mind they want for it, or they wouldn't pull them out.
Still wondering why so hostile?
A surprising number of times when they ask me, they actually weren't trying to sell it until I asked, so I feel owe them a reasonable answer when I genuinely do know more about it than they do and I'm getting first pick in exchange.
Typically at yard sales I ask if they have any old game stuff. They sometimes go inside and bring out stuff they didn't anticipate selling. I ask "how much?", they say something like "I don't know. What's it worth to you?" I'm the one who put them on the spot, so I owe them an honest answer (low side of what it's worth to me).
It happens at flea markets too, where a vendor sees me carrying or wearing classic game stuff and says to check back the next day cause they have more of that stuff at home. They obviously didn't expect people to want it or they would have brought it in the first place. Of course, they usually ask me what something is worth before they bother to go back home for it and if I don't answer honestly they might not be willing to go get it. I'll tell them what it's worth *to me* and if I already have it with no intention of buying it from him I'll say what I typically see it go for and what I think they could get for it.